Every Time That I Try, I Get Tongue Tied
by TheRumor15
Summary: Zack pushes Cody just a little too far this time, and he can't seem to apologize. Finally, Zack manages to apologize to Cody at the dance. Inspired by Tongue Tied by Faber Drive.


_"Cody, I don't get what you're trying to say."__  
__"I guess I need my life to change, Zack...But maybe it's not even my fault. It's because of your actions that we're here right now. Next time, you shouldn't think of yourself so much." Cody said. Then, he took a deep breath. "Never mind. There won't be a next time." Cody finished, his eyes falling. Zack got up and walked out of the room, tears brimming his eyes.__  
_***

Zack sat alone in his cabin, looking out the porthole. He could see the bright, cold, silver moon. Just yesterday, Cody had been there, too. Then, they had started to fight, and then everything really exploded by the time that they had gotten to Cody's cabin. Zack still remembered everything so clearly. He was just joking around, but he had hurt Cody unintentionally. Even when he tried to explain, things didn't go as planned. He remembered Cody's slight turn of the head, and how his eyes fell when he said that things needed to change. Zack figured that things would have blown over by that morning, but they didn't. This just wasn't the same, and no matter how many times that he had seen Cody that day, Zack still couldn't figure out exactly what to say, even when he tried his hardest. He knew that he would need a lot of good luck to have Cody forgive him. He had tried to apologize to Cody earlier that day, but he got stuck, and the words just wouldn't fit. Every time that he'd try, he'd get tongue tied. Zack needed some good luck and a lot of courage, and while he was scared of rejection, Zack knew that he was at least going to have to try. Zack stared back up at the stars. He couldn't help but wonder where Cody was at that point. All Zack knew was that it felt like he was a million miles away. The more that he thought about the fight, the more Zack thought about his actions. He didn't know if there was something else that he had said, or something he'd never done that had been leading up to this. Zack sighed, and then thought that perhaps he was just always in the way. He wished that someone could just tell him what to say to Cody by the time that he apologized. He sighed and closed his eyes, falling into a restless slumber.

When Zack woke up, he felt absolutely miserable. He walked into the washroom and looked in the mirror. His eyes were bloodshot and he had dried tearstains on his cheeks. Zack gingerly touched his face and winced slightly as his fingers ran over his stinging skin. Zack sighed, but suddenly felt warm and dizzy. Zack felt himself falling, and then nothing at all.

Again, Zack opened his eyes. He picked himself off of the floor and sluggishly walked out into the main part of his cabin. He gathered his things for class and walked to the classroom.  
When Zack walked into class, his heart dropped as soon as he'd seen Cody. He put his things down on his desk and took his seat. He felt himself nodding off, but tried his hardest to stay awake. He knew that would be what Cody would want. When class was over, Zack waited until everyone else was gone to pack up his things. He was about to walk out the door when Ms. Tutweiller stopped him.

"Is everything alright, Zack? You don't seem like yourself." Ms. Tutweiller asked, worriedly observing her student.

"Everything's fine." Zack muttered. He pushed his way past Ms. Tutweiller and made his way back to his cabin. He had to make himself presentable if he was going to the dance that night. Zack figured that if he wasn't going to get the courage to apologize to his brother in person, he could choose another cliché to fall into. The more Zack thought about it, the more he knew exactly what to do to apologize.

That night, Zack walked into the dance feeling confident. That confidence drained away as soon as he saw his twin. Cody didn't look like he was having such a great time, either. A song that both boys loved started to play, and they made eye contact for a second before Cody looked away, his face crumpling for a moment. Zack took a deep breath and walked up to the DJ.

"Are you requesting a song?"

"Yeah...Tongue Tied by Faber Drive." Zack said.

"Making an apology or something?"

"That's exactly what I'm doing. It's for Cody." Zack explained. The DJ nodded. Zack walked back onto the main floor.

"This next song is for Cody Martin. It's from your brother!" The DJ said. Zack's eyes widened. He wasn't expecting that to happen. The song began to play. Zack and Cody made eye contact, but Zack's vision was getting blurry from his tears. He ran out of the room. Cody ran after Zack. He caught up to him by the railing.

"Zack...What is this? If you want to say something, just do it!"

"I can't." Zack sighed.

"I-"

"-Just listen, Cody." Zack said, gesturing to the speakers.  
_  
"I need a little more luck than a little bit,__  
__'Cause every time I get stuck__  
__The words won't fit__  
__But every time that I try__  
__I get tongue tied__  
__I need a little good luck to get me by__  
__I need a little more help that a little bit__  
__Like the perfect one word no one's heard yet__  
__'Cause every time that I try__  
__I get tongue tied"__  
_  
Cody's face dawned with realization.

"I'm sorry, Cody." Zack said, his voice thick with emotion. He let his tears fall. Cody pulled him into his arms.

"I never realized...I forgive you." Cody said. Zack didn't stop crying. "Now you listen, Zack." Cody whispered, gesturing to the speakers.  
_  
"Don't want to be here again__  
__And we could help each other__  
__Off the ground so we never fall down again__  
__What it takes, I don't care__  
__We're gonna make it, I swear__  
__And we could help each other__  
__Off the ground so we never fall down again"__  
_  
"I'm so sorry, Cody. I love you, and I don't ever want to lose you." Zack whimpered.  
"I love you too, Zack. We've already made it." Cody responded. That was all that Zack needed to hear, and suddenly, he wasn't so tongue tied anymore.


End file.
